Shambhavi Deval: MPhil Clinical Psychology

If you have made up your mind not to use drugs and alcohol, it can be hard to say no when your friends are the ones offering it to you. Many times a simple “no, thanks” is not enough. Your refusal makes your friends feel uncomfortable and judged. They may retaliate by making fun of you, bullying you or leaving you out of the group. If you go along with them, they feel less self-conscious and relieved of any responsibility.

Why do Teens Say Yes to Alcohol?

They want to be liked.

They want to fit in and avoid feeling like an outsider.

They want to avoid ridicule.They want to be rebellious.

They are interested in trying something new.

They are trying to escape the pressures of school or work.

Being part of a group - to be accepted and to belong - is extremely important for children and adolescents. The need for approval by the peer group often triggers an emotional reaction, which in turn makes them more likely to succumb to peer pressure. This is an important factor in teen drinking or drug abuse. Teens are more likely to fall victim to peer pressure if they already feel sad, anxious or guilty; disappointed in themselves, or feel excluded and ‘uncool’.

Why are Adolescents Susceptible to Peer Pressure?

Peer pressure is generally linked to adolescence. However, adults can also be influenced, especially when alcohol is involved. According to a study published by the U.S National Library of Medicine, teens are most influenced by peers. Though teens weigh the risks and rewards of an activity just as adults do, they are more likely to ignore the risks when peers are around. Studies also suggest that the “adolescent brain is more responsive and excitable to rewards as compared to those of adults and young children”. This attracts them to risky behaviors, including alcohol consumption, drugs and also makes them vulnerable to peer influence. It also makes youth more susceptible to the effects of alcohol and drugs. Adults, like teens, worry about what others think of them. They want to fit in and avoid awkwardness. Consequently, they are pressured to drink, either directly or indirectly.

Alcohol Avoidance Strategies

Here are few strategies which might be useful in withstanding peer pressure in everyday life.

Learn to be assertive. Choose your own communication style, and say “no” politely without antagonizing your friends or making them feel judged.

Keep a bottled drink like iced tea or lemonade with you. People are less likely to pressure you to drink alcohol if they see you have a drink already.

Suggest something else “I have got a new video game, why don’t we play that instead?

Joke about it. Humour is a great way to change the topic and the mood. It can take the attention away from you.

Say no and give a practical reason why you know it’s a bad idea. Maybe you know someone who is an alcoholic and how drinking has messed up his/her life.

You can say you are on medication and you are not allowed to drink.

Leave. If you are bullied or feel uncomfortable walk away. You may be surprised to see that some of your friends will stand up for you and leave with you. Remember you always have the power to walk away.

Depression and Bipolar Disorder Support Group

The Dementors of depression bring sadness and despair, empty you of joy and happiness, and make you relive your worst memories. While chocolate helps; you need a stronger spell to truly ward off these demons. There are no magic wands and spells in the real world; therapy gives you the tools and lasting skills to face and overcome depression. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) equips you with the know-how to change your behaviour and negativistic thinking patterns.

Sometimes, it can get lonely by yourself. At those times it helps to know there are others like you who struggle with their thoughts and anxieties. Learning and sharing experiences together in an environment of empathy and support can be a rich and rewarding experience. The Pathfinder Clinic Support Group will help you to learn about depression and other conditions, like anxiety and hypomania; make changes in your routine; respond to self-defeating thoughts; and build skills to maintain important relationships.

Sign up for our sessions if you have been told by a psychiatrist or counsellor that you may have depression, bipolar mood disorder, or anxiety. Sessions will be held fortnightly, beginning 3rd of March (Saturday). Please call 020-66069676 to register.

[Group therapy is not a substitute for individual therapy or medication.]

Dates

DaysSaturday 03, 17, 31 Mar 2018 (4:30PM to 5:30PM)

Venue

Pathfinder Clinic

S-5 (2nd flr) Destination Centre

Magarpatta City

Pune - 411028

Fee

Rs 200 per person per session

(includes after-session activity)

Contact

Ms Piyali Misquitta 020-66069676

What happens at a support group meeting?

At support group meetings, people share experiences, personal feelings, information, and strategies for living successfully with mood disorders. The key elements of Pathfinder Clinic's support group

Focus on Self-Help

The self-help process is based on certain assumptions:

Each person has the ability to make appropriate use of available resources to meet her or his own needs. Some people may utilize this ability more fully than others, but it is present in everyone.

All of us together know more than any one of us. Everyone has value and has something to add to a group process.

Each person is the ultimate authority on what s/he needs and on what will work for her or him.

Psychologist-Led

Discussion at support group meetings is facilitated by a psychologist, and this is important to the group’s smooth functioning. The facilitator guides discussion, provides focus to the group, and helps ensure that the group’s guidelines are followed.

Safe and Accepting

Participants make the support group a safe place by fostering a supportive, trustworthy, respectful, non-judgmental, and nurturing atmosphere. All those attending share experiences that can help others live successfully with depression or bipolar disorder. People use information they’ve gained from others at the meeting and the mental health professionals they work with to make their own judgments about correct strategies for themselves.

Confidential

Open and honest communication is important to a positive group experience. Support groups operate on the following premise: "What we say here stays here.” No one may publicly reveal information about the people attending the group or what is said during a meeting. Exceptions to this policy are made only when the safety of an individual is in danger. Participants are not required to be under therapy at Pathfinder Clinic. Pathfinder Clinic will never make public or sell/rent group membership or participant lists.

Meet Regularly

Meetings will be on every alternate Saturday, starting 03-Mar-18.

What Support Groups Are NOT

NOT Therapy or Treatment
Group discussion is not a substitute for professional therapy or treatment.

NOT a Place to Diagnose or a Substitute for Professional Care
Most people attending a support group meeting use the group as a supplement to their professional care, whether that care includes medication, therapy, or other treatment methods. Group participants do not seek to diagnose, and support groups do not endorse or recommend the use of any specific treatment or medication.

NOT a 12-Step Group
The 12-step formula, although valuable, is not the basis for DBSA support groups. DBSA believes that each person’s path to wellness is uniquely his or her own. There is no one way.

NOT a Venting Venue
While acknowledging the difficulty of life with a mood disorder, support group meetings are focused on mutual aid and strategies for living the fullest lives possible. Participants continuously seek to provide hope, reassurance, and encouragement.

NOT an Expert Giving a Lecture
Groups may periodically invite a professional or other expert to speak, but a support group’s main focus should be on peers helping one another. No one participant is regarded as knowing more than another or as the person with all the answers.

Who can participate in a support group?

The primary participants in Pathfinder Clinic support group meetings are persons diagnosed with a mood disorder.

The Value of Pathfinder Clinic Support Groups

Pathfinder Clinic support groups provide the kind of sharing and caring that is crucial for a lifetime of wellness.

give you the opportunity to reach out to others and benefit from the experience of those who have been there.

motivate you to follow your treatment plan.

help you understand that a mood disorder does not define who you are.

help you rediscover strengths and humor you may have thought you had lost.

provide a forum for mutual acceptance, understanding, and self-discovery.

Remember, support groups are not a substitute for professional care. For advice about specific treatment or medication, individuals should consult their mental health professionals.

Parent Management Training I/IV

Piyali Misquitta, MA Clinical Psychology

Parent Management Training is an interactive training program spread across 4 weeks of workshop consisting of one hour each week. The training is aimed at skill development and practical application of behaviour modification for parents to improve challenging behaviours of their child(ren), and any associated conditions that may be present.

Parents learnt how to go about stimulating desirable behaviours in their child. They facilitated an environment such that the desirable behaviours become second nature. Parents received hands-on experience on how to manage their child’s problems in a functional way. This reduces the chances of recurrence of unwanted behaviours like temper tantrums, crying before school and not doing homework.

Parent Management Training is a one of a kind workshop aimed at creating a facilitative environment for your child. It minimizes external problems and internal issues that the child may be facing. Peer support and social support and interaction with therapists helped parents through the problems that they faced with their child.

Presentation for Thursday (06-Jul-17)

Psychoeducation for ADHD

By Nishtha Budhiraja, MSc Psychology

For parents of children that are diagnosed with ADHD.

Information about ADHD and coping with disorder. Management and support group information will also be provided. This is the first of four modules each an hour long. Sessions include activities and videos to make it easier to remember and apply knowledge about ADHD.

Psychoeducation is the process of providing knowledge, awareness and information to the individual who is suffering from mental illness and their immediate group of people. The immediate group of people often includes parents, teachers, caregivers, family, close relatives and friends. The aim of is to impart scientific knowledge over ancient and faulty theories. The basic purpose behind psychoeducation is to deal with problems associated with the illness and management of maladaptive behaviour in case of troublesome events. An overview of the possible treatment plans is also given with psychoeducation.

This module is specifically designed for parents of children that are diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD is a neuropsychiatric condition which is characterised by an inability to control behaviours like hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention. Not only will the information be given about ADHD and coping with it, information on its management and support groups will be provided. The module is divided into 4 1-hour long sessions which include activities and videos to make it easier to remember and apply knowledge about ADHD.

Parent Management Training II/IV

Piyali Misquitta, MA Clinical Psychology - Leader

Nishtha Budhiraja, MA Clinical Psychology - Therapist

Shreya Joshi, MA Clinical Psychology - Therapist

Antecedent-Behaviour-Consequence—ABC model of behaviour analysis was introduced in the second Parenting group session. In the ABC model an antecedent is something that comes before behaviour, and may trigger that behaviour. A behaviour is anything an individual does. A consequence is something that follows the behaviour.

A child strolling in the mall with his parents comes across an aisle of chocolate bars (antecedent). He throws a tantrum (behaviour), insisting his parents buy the chocolate for him. The parent buys the chocolate to quiet the child (consequence). The parent’s attention to the tantrum, and buying the chocolate for the child reinforces or rewards the behaviour of throwing a temper tantrum. This model is very helpful to identify problem behaviours; to modify them and to focus on the positive ones by reinforcing the desired behaviour.

Parents were first asked to identify undesirable behaviour and think of a desirable behaviour that they would like to substitute; it with.For example ‘unsatisfactory study time’ to ‘daily study time for half an hour’ , 'getting into fights' to ‘playing cooperatively’. Any behaviour tending towards the desired behaviour should be rewarded, to reinforce it. Immediate reinforcement can be given like praise, or a reward sheet can be used to keep a track of the desired behaviour (e.g give them stars, or points) on a daily basis. At the end of the week, the child can be rewarded with something that he/she is quite fond of, e.g a comic book, toy, or game, depending upon the total sum of points earned.

The desired behaviour can be directed using a conducive antecedent. For example changes in the daily time table can be made upon discussing with the child, and constructive prompts or instructions can be given to him/her to bring out the desirable behaviour. The instructions given should be short or given in parts, should have minimal words and be more action oriented , negative sentences should be avoided (e.g Don’t talk so loudly’, Don’t throw your things everywhere’). Instructions can be rephrased to ‘talk softly’, ‘good girls keep their things neatly’.

Once the child is able to pull off simpler tasks of the desired behaviour, the difficulty of the task can be raised or the reward can be upgraded. This way the child is not overwhelmed by a parent’s expectation to ‘do’ the desired behaviour immediately, and has a lasting pay off.

The ABC model equips parents with skills to manage undesirable behaviours
and facilitate change to desirable behaviours in children with ADHD.

Domestic Violence Manifesting as Depression

Piyali Misquitta, MA Clinical Psychology

The psychological impact of domestic violence, and response to intervention is illustrated by this case. Targetting inaccuarate and unhelpful thoughts through CBT helps clients manage their emotions better and encourage problem-solving behaviours.

A 30-year-old married woman, TN approached Pathfinder Clinic alone with concerns of tearfulness, sadness, guilt, and anxiety. She was especially worried that her thoughts and mood were interfering in her work, and that she would be asked to leave. Further enquiry revealed a history of physical violence by her husband. This information helped provide a context for the distress she was experiencing: she felt sad and guilty about the deterioration of her marriage, and often blamed herself for the situation she was in. When she considered the options for her future, she felt anxious and unable to take a decision. She also reported that she had suicidal thoughts, especially when she was distressed.

Psychological assessments revealed severe depression and anxiety, and also that TN was very concerned with what others people thought of her. This concern was then addressed during consequent sessions of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), which helped her make an independent decision about what was best for her future. She learned how to deal with conflict with her husband, and put her own requests forward in an assertive way. CBT also helped her re-evaluate the guilt she was experiencing, and reduce self-blame. With regular sessions of CBT and medication, TN reported doing much better at work, and felt confident about her decision to leave her husband. She was also able to identify old hobbies that she used to enjoy, and incorporate them into her schedule.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing—CISD

Piyali Misquitta, MA Clinical Psychology

CISD (Critical Incident Stress Debriefing) was conducted at the office of a software company in Pune by Piyali Misquitta. A team of 15 members were present for the debriefing, including Lynette Nazareth (CGP) and a representative from the HR department. The session was planned in response to the unexpected death of a young team member three days before the session.

The stress debrief began with an overview of basic guidelines which established the tone of the session, with an emphasis on confidentiality. Next, the facts of the incident were elicited from the team members, and most shared what they knew. This facilitated an understanding of the members who were most impacted by the incident, as well as clarifying the facts of the incident for everyone present at the session.

Reactions to the incident were elicited from the group, focusing on the distressing thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. The use of standardised scales for trauma and general health aided the discussion.
The group then moved to the educational aspect of the session. The emphasis on this session was on validating the experiences of different people within the group, and acknowledging that distressing and unusual reactions are expected in highly stressful and unusual situations like present one. In addition, members were advised self-care and to prevent avoidance of anxiety-related events. A Quality of Life Scale helped identify areas in their life that needed attention.

A report of the scores was handed to the members at the end of the session. Members with high distress levels were advised to seek personal counselling.

Piyali Misquittapiyali.misquitta@pathfinderclinic.comstress-debriefing12https://sites.google.com/feeds/content/pathfinderclinic.com/www/84662782999192569702011-05-28T06:39:44.834Z2017-07-18T08:10:33.152Z2013-11-22T02:52:03.054ZWorld No Tobacco Day 31-May

World No Tobacco Day is 31-May. What's the best way to commemorate World No Tobacco Day?

That's obvious - QUIT SMOKING. Yes, you've tried that often enough before. But
did you really? Did you START? Don't know what START has to do with
quitting? Then you haven't really given yourself a decent chance to
quit.

We'll give you that START- the best way to quit smoking! Smoking cessation therapy tailored to your individual and specific situation.

World Mental Health Day - Movie Survey

Mad about the Movies?

But what do the movies say about 'madness'? Give us your views on the depiction of mental illness in the movies. To create awareness on World Mental Health Day (10th October) we invite you to share your views on ANY Hindi, or regional Indian Language film in which one of the main characters has a mental illness or mental disorder.

Work Style Assessment

What is work style?

Work style is a blend of special personality traits that pertain to the workplace. These traits include initiative, integrity, leadership, stress tolerance, analytical thinking, and interpersonal skills. Working style describes how you act as you carry out your work roles. Work is a domain in which personalities connect in many ways. When you describe people as being cooperative, or assertive, you are talking about their work styles.

How are work styles assessed?

Working style is assessed with a set of standard questions. Based on your answers a profile of your strengths is prepared. This profile is used to explore global career options. Your personality traits can then be matched to those of hundreds of jobs listed in the O*NET index. With this you can choose a job that uses all your unique strengths and abilities.

At Pathfinder Clinic working style assessment offers insight into five core areas of job performance and their related work style behaviours:

Performance Area

Work Style Behaviour

Achieving results (drive)

achievement, initiative, persuasiveness, confidence

Dealing with people (interpersonal skills)

leadership, cooperation, concern for others, social orientation

Solving problems (problem solving skills)

independence, innovation, analytical skills

Adjustment (self management)

self control, stress tolerance, adaptability

Responsibility (work ethic)

dependability, attention to detail, integrity, conscientiousness

Work styles in career planning

Understand reasons for dissatisfaction with your present job. Each of us has a distinct work personality. Personality predicts outcomes like job performance and job satisfaction. A mismatch between your work apporach and that required by the job can be a source of burnout and job dissatisfaction. Understanding why you are not happy in your present job will help you take corrective actions.

I joined the MNC of my dreams. Now I feel like a clerk. There is no room for ideas or initiative.

I don’t think I can succeed at sales work. The pressure and hustle make me very tense.

Identify alternate occupations based on your work approach. Career choice is an area in which work style assessment is essential.With work styles assessment you are then better able to spot occupations that are likely to be satisfying.

I’ve done my Engineering and need to pursue higher studies – should I go in for a PhD or an MBA?

I am stuck in this job since 10 years. I want a change. Do I have what it takes to succeed on my own?

My son is keen on forensic anthropology. The field is novel. Is he suited for it?

Employee selection to match 'soft-skill' requirements of the job. Managers who are hiring can define working styles they value in employees. From a pool of qualified job seekers they can make a final selection based on the extent to which they possess the required working styles. Matching employee work style with job requirements leads to top performance and job satisfaction.

I run a fitness centre. Four people are on the shortlist for my reception post. Which person would be my best choice?

Work styles assessment is a study of your work personality. It gives an insight into how you work with others, your mindset, and your work ethic. It will help you to think about how you act and respond to events in your workplace.

Assess Your Work Style Today

What Works for You?

10am-8pm Mon-Sat

Neville Misquittaneville.misquitta@pathfinderclinic.comwork-style-assessment9https://sites.google.com/feeds/content/pathfinderclinic.com/www/48845084075199444742011-12-15T02:07:21.801Z2017-07-18T08:10:33.149Z2011-12-15T03:57:57.312ZSurgery for Social Phobia?

Blushing is a reddening of the face, ears, neck, and occasionally other parts of the body, brought on by the “thinking of what others think of us.”

Social anxiety disorder sufferers are more likely to blush and have higher heart rates. Charles Darwin described blushingas “the most peculiar and the most human of all expressions.” Blushing is mainly caused by cervical sympathetic outflow from the spinal cord.

Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy(ETS) to treat facial blushing was realised serendipitously by patients reporting incidental relief from facial blushing following ETS for excessive sweating. A recent study has shown that ETS may be associated with a greater reduction of blushing and higher degrees of satisfaction in comparison to medication or no treatment.

However Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), was not included as part of the comparision treatments.

References

Darwin C. The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. 200th Anniversary Edition. New York: Oxford University Press; 1872/2009.

Neville Misquittaneville.misquitta@pathfinderclinic.comsurgery-for-social-phobia4https://sites.google.com/feeds/content/pathfinderclinic.com/www/77785285005329910182015-06-03T12:48:24.885Z2017-07-18T08:10:33.149Z2015-06-03T14:26:02.227ZImportance of Work

Work occupies a third of adult life

The Importance of Work

The importance of work is through its impact on three key aspects of life.

We spend a third of adult life at work. Through work we add to our growth and well-being, and also that of our families and of society.

Work provides the income and outputs for meeting the needs of life.

Work has a positive impact on our mental, social, and physical health. It adds to to our confidence and personal self-esteem. Work gives us social status and a sense of social responsibility. Work keeps us mentally alert and physically active.

Carefully consider the work you choose with the help of a reliable aptitude test given this importance of work. Income is important but should not be the sole criteria for career choice. Income is just one of the reasons for which we need to work. If income is the only purpose of work, work becomes a chore, something to avoid or to finish in a hurry. There is no drive, no sense of achievement, no pride in doing the work well. Spending a third of one's adult life in work that is disliked adversely impacts psychological, social, and physical health and well-being. Burnout, absenteeism, employee attrition, depression and work-stress related disorders are the end products.

Career choices you make today decide who your friends will be, which area or city you will stay in, and even who you will marry. This adds to the importance of work and makes it essential to choose a career with consideration. However, even after decades of progress in aptitude testing we still believe that career decisions ‘just happen naturally’. Most young people take the path of least resistance. They follow family and friends or their peers at school. They have no exposure to real-world work. They have no idea what the work in a particular profession actually is. Unreal expectations lead to disappointment, frustration, absenteeism, or depression early in their careers. Career choices veer towards high prestige jobs –e.g doctors, engineers– while ignoring an aptitude for clerical or mechanical work.

When two people of equal intelligence, and undergo similar training, why does one master the knowledge or skill easily, while the other take longer to do so? This is because they differ in their aptitude for that particular work. A reliable aptitude test helps in career guidance. A blend of aptitude, interest, and training helps place the right person in the right job.

The work you do must exercise all your abilities to reap the benefits of a life well lived. You will be happier, stay motivated and last longer at work that uses your specific abilities, and that is suitable for your personality. You will be more willing and able to overcome the challenges that are part of any work. Success, promotions and income would then be likely to follow. A well designed and reliable aptitude test will help you choose a suitable career, and is essential given the importance of work.

Dr Neville Misquitta spoke on "Student stress and conflict" at a workshop conducted by PGM College of Engineering, Wagholi, Pune on 12-Feb-2011. Under the auspices of the University of Poona, the workshop aimed to update young faculty about newer teaching methods and concepts.

The focus was

Stressors and their effects on students

Conflict parameters and conflict resolution

As an integrated mental health centre, Pathfinder Clinic is actively involved with projecting and providing solutions for mental health problems in society. This talk by Dr Neville Misquitta on "Student stress and conflict" is another initiative towards mental health promotion in Pune.

How individuals with first episode schizophrenia describe their process of recovery and how identified individuals (e.g. family members) describe their perceptions of and roles in the individuals process of recovery.

Neville Misquittaneville.misquitta@pathfinderclinic.comself-after-psychosis8https://sites.google.com/feeds/content/pathfinderclinic.com/www/46351059706770265812010-09-19T06:37:46.534Z2017-07-18T08:10:33.147Z2010-09-19T15:39:22.726ZScreening for memory impairments - World Alzheimer's Day

Pathfinder Clinic is screening memory and cognitive impairments for World Alzheimer's Day. A standard, paper and pencil cognitive screening test will be conducted by a qualified mental health professional (psychiatrist/clinical psychologist). Screening will be done in a conducive environment to ensure privacy and confidentiality. No prior preparation required. The test will take approximately 15-20 minutes. Report with recommendations will be discussed the next day. Senior citizens will be given a 20% discount.

Facilities for further follow-up are available at the clinic cutomised to individual patient needs.

Apurva Chandorkar, Clinical Psychologist at Pathfinder Clinic has obtained certification in Remedial Teaching. She successfully completed the Certificate Course 'Practical Approaches to Learning Differences and Remedial Teaching'. The course was conducted by Dr Analpa Paranjpe from 20th November to 6th December 2010.

Quit smoking with fruit and vegetables? Higher fruit and vegetable consumption means fewer cigarettes smoked per day and a longer time for relapse to smoking.

Fruits and vegetables help quit smoking

Smokers who eat fruits and vegetables an average of 4 or more times a day are 3 times more likely to be abstinent from cigarettes and other tobacco products. The heavier the alcohol use the stronger the dissatisfaction with life.

Smokers lack essential vitamins and minerals in their diets. This lower nutrient intake contributes further to the higher rates of cancer and heart disease seen among smokers. This pattern of eating behaviour may reflect different personality types or the effect of smoking on taste.Those who continue to smoke have less regard for their health, including their diet.

Eating more fruits and vegetables may be a sign of health consciousness, and make a person more amenable to smoking cessation. People who are experiencing cigarette craving can eat a piece of fruit, a vegetable, or drink a glass of water to help them avoid giving in to the urge to smoke.

Suicide Attempts in Mothers with Cat Parasite Infection

Mothers with the cat parasiteToxoplasmosis gondiinfection are at risk for suicide attempts post partum.

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects the brain affecting approximately one-third of people worldwide. Cats have been identified as the primary source of T gondii. Humans are infected by ingestion of T gondii from feces of infected cats (eg, contaminated sandbox, eating unwashed vegetables). The ingested parasite spreads from the intestine to the brain. There the parasite hides within neurons and glial cells of multiple brain structures, including the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. These areas play a leading role in emotional and behavioral regulation. T gondii infection disrupts modulation of mood and behavior and thus elevates risk of suicide.

What to do if you are pregnant and have a cat

Wear gloves when gardening and during any contact with soil or sand because cat waste might be in soil or sand. After gardening or contact with soil or sand, wash hands thoroughly.

Avoid changing cat litter if possible. If no one else is available to change the cat litter, use gloves, then wash hands thoroughly.

Change the litter box daily because Toxoplasma requires several days to become infectious.

Keep your cat inside and do not adopt or handle stray cats.

Cats should be fed only canned or dried commercial food or well-cooked table food, not raw or undercooked meats.

Mental Health Awareness Week at Carter Road, Mumbai was hosted in a public park without barriers to any citizen who happened to be on that stretch of Mumbai over those two days. Mental health conferences and events are mostly attended by mental health professionals, and occasionally by caregivers – indirectly affected by mental health problems of their loved ones. At the MHAW event a subset of people, who might never have considered mental health even as a concept, were made aware.

Mental health awareness and stigma

One in ten children has a mental illness that impairs academic performance. However, few are recognised and fewer receive treatment. The World Health Organization indicates that psychiatric disorders will be one of the five most common illnesses among children by 2020.

My talk on Mental Health and Academic Performance in Children highlighted the mental health problems that impact the future livelihood of these children through adverse career outcomes. Teachers and students were concerned with the modalities of dealing with ADHD, learning disorders, cannabis use, and other disorders of children and adolescents.

Educating the public about mental health and mental illness in children is a key concern. Mental Health Awareness Week is a major opportunity for promoting child and adolescent mental health and for mitigating the risk factors of mental illness.

Mental Health Awareness Week is held in the first full week of October every year since 1990. It coincides with World Mental Health Day on 10th October. The stigma of mental illness is a major barrier to seeking treatment.

Stigma is of three types:

Public stigma - the harmful effects of prejudice and discrimination by the general population

Self-stigma - the harmful effects of prejudice which people with mental illness turn against themselves

Label avoidance - avoiding stigma by not seeking mental health services from which labels or diagnosis are obtained.

Parenting can inculcate life skills in teenagers and ease transition to adulthood

Life skills are abilities that promote mental well-being and competence in teenagers and young people as they face the realities of life. They enable the teen to make rational decisions in problem solving, communicate effectively and manage their emotions and behaviours so as to participate constructively in society.

Ajay’s parents are distraught as their intelligent teen has four backlogs in college. He may not be allowed to appear in his third semester exam for poor attendance. His parents had anxiously provided him every external support at home so he could focus just on studies for his board exams. They did not foresee how their efforts to manage, support, and fix Ajay’s problems were preventing their teen from mastering the life skills he would need to be effective as a teenager in college and as an adult in later life.

Life skills for teenagers

Critical thinking and decision making – the analytical skills for problem solving. This includes the ability to gather information, evaluate consequences of actions, and define alternate solutions.

Interpersonal skills and communication – includes verbal and non-verbal communication, and the ability to manage conflict. Interpersonal skills are a key requirement for teamwork. These skills are the foundation for adult social behaviour.

Coping and self-management skills are essential for a sense of self-control, self-awareness and goal setting. The ability to handle loss, anxiety and frustration depends on these skills. Stress and time management are key abilities in this component.

Responsible parents foster an environment of independence by introducing the concept of daily chores from childhood. Many bright teenagers have difficulties when they enter college without adequate coping and self-management life skills. Gradually handing over tasks such as getting up on their own in the morning, scheduling activities, and doing the laundry lay the foundation for work-life balance in adulthood. Guiding their teenager in his efforts at working through the daily chores while demanding focus on his studies, provides parents with opportunities to teach and learn problem solving, interpersonal communication and coping life skills that are essential for independent living in society.

IQ Workshop for Psychologists

Registration is open for the IQ Workshop for Psychologists. This workshop will benefit psychologists who have just completed their masters degree and seek to gain practical experience in IQ testing and assessment.